Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Cabinet for the Incense Guessing Game
(Japan and Korea )
This "ko-awase-dogu-dana" or cabinet for the incense game is gold lacquer and has three shelves and three drawers containing six copper implements, a brocade bag with ten paper envelopes, a small tray, a rectangular box, and a box for the counters.
The cabinet has a design of leaf-shaped fans on a background of flowers of various kinds. The fans are elaborately decorated with tortoises, birds, flowers, and the scenery of Fujisan, with winding streams, etc. The interior of the lower drawer is decorated with clouds.
The rectangular tray for incense ("Koban") is of gold lacquer and rests on four low feet. It has a slightly raised rim and indented corners. The interior of the tray is decorated with two overlaping fans, one with a flying crane and the other with a feather pattern. Both appear against a floral background.
The rectangular box for the set of implements for cutting incense wood ("Kowari-dogu") is of gold lacquer with an interior frame for a saw, knife, chisel, mallet, and chopping block. The instruments are of steel with lacquered handles. The top of the lid is decorated with two overlaping leaf-shaped fans, one with a heron, and the other with a butterfly and flowers. Both fans appear against a background of pampas grass, pinks, and bush-clovers; theis same floral design continues on the exterior sides of the box. The interior lid has layers of clouds.
The box for counters for the incense game ("Fuda-bako") is gold lacquer, octagonal and barrel-shaped. The upper half of the box has an oval opening cut out and is rimmed with metal. The exterior is decorated with pinks, bush-clovers, and pampas grass.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
William T. / Henry Walters Collection, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
Japan (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Cabinet H: 8 3/4 x W: 5 1/4 x L: 10 11/16 in. (22.3 x 13.3 x 27.1 cm); Koban H: 3/4 x W: 2 11/16 x L: 5 7/8 in. (1.9 x 6.8 x 15 cm); Kowari-dogu H: 1 1/4 x W: 3 3/4 x L: 4 13/16 in. (3.1 x 9.6 x 12.3 cm); Fuda-bako H: 2 3/4 x Diam: 1 3/8 in. (7 x 3.5 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by William T. or Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
67.255